In her speech the Swede said that her studies offered her a "place of peace in the wild storm of my personal life."

She added that she felt surprised at being asked to make the speech "because I've been called a woman with no words in the media and criticised for not talking very much.

"It was right after I had taken communications and the media I was unexpectedly thrust into the media limelight. I probably should have taken more notes in that class," Nordegren quipped.

After details of Woods' numerous affairs surfaced he apologized publicly to Nordegren for igniting the tabloid frenzy in which more than a dozen women claimed affairs, saying he had been "living a lie" and admitting to "doing some ugly things."

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The pair split for good in 2010 with Nordegren pocketing an estimated 600 million kronor ($92m) settlement reported Aftonbladet.

Nordegren concluded her speech by paying tribute to her children and to her parents, in particular her mother who is a governor in Sweden.